Swing alignment device

ABSTRACT

A swing alignment device ( 1 ) for assisting or training a golfer to swing with the correct golf swing, the device comprising: a rod-like member ( 2 ); and a mounting member ( 3 ) for mounting to a shaft ( 5 ) of a golf club ( 6 ), the mounting member providing a support means ( 7 ) which supports the rod-like member on the mounting member such that the rod-like member ( 2 ) extends substantially parallel to the shaft and permits the rod-like member to slide relative to the support means ( 7 ). The mounting member ( 3 ) is suitably adapted for mounting to the grip portion ( 4 ) on the shaft of the golf club ( 6 ) and includes a grip engagement formation ( 10 ) for placing against the grip portion of the shaft ( 5 ). The support means for the rod-like member comprise at least one sleeve through which the rod-like member ( 2 ) passes, whereby the rod-like member is supported with its longitudinal axis closely laterally spaced from the axis of the golf club shaft ( 5 ).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from Australian Provisional Application No. 2006902954 filed 31 May 2006, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a swing alignment device, and relates particularly but not exclusively to a swing alignment device that is a golf swing trainer to assist a golfer to swing a golf club on the correct plane to hit the golf ball correctly.

It will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention with reference to this example application. However at the same time it is to be clearly understood that the invention is capable of broader application. For example it could conceivably be used for sports other than golf.

2. Discussion of the Background Art

Golf is a very popular game played by male and females of all ages around the world. The game requires a player known as a golfer to hit a small ball known as a golf ball a number of times to advance it from a tee to a green and then sink the golf ball in a hole on the green.

In advancing the ball each time the golfer uses a golf club to hit the ball to advance each time. In advancing the ball the golfer performs a golf swing with the club which is a fairly complicated movement of various parts of the body. These movements need to be carried out in a co-ordinated fashion to even hit the ball, far less hit the ball well (for a desired distance in a direction toward the hole).

It will readily be appreciated therefore that golfers often spend a lot of time working on improving and/or perfecting their golf swing. It is not easy for a golfer to critically evaluate their own swing while they themselves are swinging the club. Often a golfer would enlist the help of a golf teacher to look at their swing action and provide comments on how it could be improved. While this way of improving one's golf swing is useful, it can be very expensive. Also a golf teacher or golf professional (“pro”) is not always available to provide this comment.

Clearly therefore it would be advantageous if a training device could be devised that could be used by a golfer to help them swing on the correct plane. Such a device would be useful for beginners to help them develop the correct technique in the first place. The training device would also be useful for established players, including highly skilled players, to assist them to check their swing to make sure that it had not moved out of plane.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the referenced prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other country.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Object of the Invention

An object of the invention is to provide a swing alignment device which is a useful tool for golfers around the world to use to improve their golf game and/or keep it at a high level. Preferably, the device would take the form of a golf swing training device, which is relatively simple in use and thus beneficial to both novices and seasoned golfers alike.

Disclosure of the Invention

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a swing alignment device for assisting a golfer to swing with the correct golf swing, the device comprising:

a rod-like member; and

a mounting member for mounting to a shaft of a golf club, the mounting member providing a support means which supports the rod-like member on the mounting member such that the rod-like member extends substantially parallel to the shaft and permits the rod-like member to slide relative to the support means.

The shaft of golf clubs generally comprise an exposed shaft portion and a grip portion (or grip), and accordingly the mounting member may be adapted for mounting to the grip portion of the golf club.

The support means for the rod-like member may comprise at least one sleeve through which the rod-like member passes. The support means may comprise a sleeve within which the rod-like member is slidingly received with a minimal or only a small amount of clearance. Suitably, the sleeve assists in guiding the sliding displacement of the rod-like member relative to the support means whereby, when the swing alignment device is orientated in such a way that gravity would tend to cause the rod-like member to slide relative to the sleeve, it will be free to slide relative to the sleeve.

Alternatively the support means for the rod-like member may comprise two or more longitudinally spaced sleeves or rings or eye formations through which the rod-like member is passed with a small amount of clearance.

The rod-like member support means, for example the sleeve or spaced eye formations, may support the rod-like member with its longitudinal axis closely laterally spaced from the axis of the golf club shaft. The lateral spacing between the rod-like member and the shaft may be less than 200 mm, preferably less than 100 mm.

The mounting member may further include, in addition to the support means for the rod-like member, a grip engagement formation for placing against the grip portion of the shaft. The grip engagement formation is configured to enable a golfer to hold the mounting member and thereby the swing alignment device on the grip portion when the hands of the golfer are passed around the grip portion and the club gripped in the normal way.

The grip engagement formation may include an element shaped to complement a portion of the grip portion which it engages in use, so as to resemble the surface of the grip formation to a golfer gripping the club. For example the complementary element may be a strip curved so as to mimic the curve on the grip portion against which it will lie.

The mounting member may yet further include at least one bridging formation extending between the rod-like member support means and the grip engagement formation, e.g. for holding the support means and the grip engagement formation in fixed spatial relation to one another.

The mounting member may include two bridging formations extending between the support means for the rod-like member and the grip engagement formation formed by the complementary element, e.g. the curved strip element.

Preferably one bridging formation is located towards one end of the grip engaging element, suitably positioned at a proximate or upper end of the grip portion, and another bridging formation is preferably located towards an opposed end of the grip engagement formation, suitably positioned at a distal or lower end of the grip portion.

Thus, in use, the swing alignment device may suitably be held against the grip portion of a golf club by a golfer when they grip the club in the normal way. The complementary element of the grip engagement formation can lie against the grip portion and be covered by the hands of a user as the user grips the club. The rod-like member is desirably laterally spaced away from the grip portion by the at least one bridging formation to provide hand clearance. As the golfer takes up their stance, the rod-like member extends parallel to the shaft and in said spaced relation with the shaft.

When the golfer takes the club back on the back swing portion of their swing the head of the club is raised above the level of the grip portion and the rod-like member is permitted to slide down relative to the sleeve towards the ground. Thus the rod-like member is no longer is positioned alongside the shaft of the club. Rather the rod-like member slides through the support means and extends longitudinally from the grip portion away from the shaft, pointing towards the ground much like a pointer.

If the rod-like member points at an imaginary line along which the ball is desired to travel, then the golfer has the club on a correct swing plane. If however the rod-like member points either at a point outward of the ball on the ground or at the golfer's feet, the club is on an incorrect swing plane. The user or golfer is swinging either too upright or too flat, and the swing alignment device indicates how they need to change the angle of their swing plane. In this way the device can be used by a golfer to swing correctly so that the swing plane of the club is always pointing towards the ball.

The rod-like member support means, e.g. the sleeve(s), may support the rod-like member such that it permits the rod-like member to slide freely relative thereto if the swing alignment is elevated, e.g. on a backswing. Typically this might be done by providing the sleeve(s) with a small clearance for the rod-like member and/or by avoiding using materials generating high friction between the sleeve and the rod-like member. Most preferably the clearance for and mass of the rod-like member are arranged such that, in use, the rod-like member is permitted to slide when the club is correctly elevated on a back swing.

The mounting member may include further grip engagement formations in addition to the complementary element. There may be two such further grip engagement formations, associated with respective cross bridging formations. One grip engagement formation may comprise a notch or recess within which the shaft of the club can be located or loosely received. Another grip engagement formation may comprise a cup shaped recess or socket within which an upper end of the shaft of a club is received.

The further grip engagement formations may be attached to the club at respectively the upper end of the grip portion and towards the lower end of the grip.

The rod-like member may further include stop formations towards each end thereof for resisting the rod-like member from sliding off the mounting means when it slides to and fro relative to the mounting means, between first and second fully extended positions.

The rod-like member may have an impact absorbing element, e.g. a washer made of soft material, at one or both ends thereof for cushioning the contact of the stop formation with the associated end of the sleeve when the rod-like member slides into a fully extended position relative to the mounting means.

The rod-like member may have a length greater than one half of the length of the golf club. The length of the rod-like member may be comparable to that of the shaft of a golf club.

The rod-like member may be made of a light material. In one form the rod-like member is made of a hollow tubular metallic material, e.g. aluminium. Alternatively, the rod-like member may be made of a plastics material, e.g. plastics suitable for use in injection moulding. It is desirable that the device not be too heavy in comparison with the typical weight of a normal golf club, so as not to interfere with feel of a golf swing with the club.

The device may further include means for releasably retaining the rod-like member in a desired longitudinal position relative to the mounting member and associated club. Preferably the retaining means comprises locking means that can be used to lock the rod-like member in any desired position relative to the club.

The releasable retaining means may comprise a clamp, e.g. a clamping formation displaced by a screw threaded shaft, passing through the sleeve that can be rotated to bring the clamping formation into engagement with the rod-like member.

The releasable retaining means may also include providing the sleeve and the rod-like member in the form of inner and outer telescoping elements that can slide relative to each other in one orientation and then when rotated relative to each other can be releasably locked in a desired position.

Further, in an alternative rudimentary form, the retaining means may comprise a cut in the sleeve and a groove in the rod-like member and a pin that passes through both the cut and groove to hold the sleeve and groove locked together. In a still further alternative, the stop formations may be arranged, e.g. by using chamfered portions, to wedge the rod-like member during slight over-extension to retain the rod-like member in either of the first or second fully extended positions.

In one particularly preferred form the impact absorbing elements may also function to resiliently hold the rod-like member in either of the first and second fully extended positions, e.g. by using washers which are moveable along the rod-like member and can resiliently grip said member. However a limitation of these alternative forms of retaining means is that the rod-like member and sleeve can only be locked in one or perhaps two positions relative to each other.

The releasable retraining means can optionally be used to modify a golf club that is a putter to resemble a belly putter. This can be used to improve a golfer's putting technique.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a golf swing training device for assisting a golfer to swing with the correct golf swing, the device comprising:

a rod-like member; and

a mounting member comprising a support member and a sleeve for the rod-like member;

-   -   said support member including a grip engagement element that         complements part of the circumference of a grip portion of a         golf club for mounting on the club;     -   said sleeve mounted on the support member and spaced from the         grip engagement element for supporting the rod-like member such         that, when mounted on the club, the rod-like member extends         substantially parallel to the shaft of the golf club, wherein         the sleeve is sized to permit the rod-like member to slide         freely relative to the support member; and     -   said support member further including at least two spaced         bridging formations extending between the sleeve and the grip         engagement element for holding them in lateral spaced relation         to each other.

According to yet another aspect of this invention there is provided an assembly of a golf club and a swing alignment device comprising:

a swing alignment device according to the first aspect of the invention described above; and

a golf club having a shaft comprising a grip portion and an exposed shaft portion;

wherein the mounting member of the swing alignment device is mounted on the shaft of the golf club such that the rod-like member extends substantially parallel to the shaft, with the axis of the rod-like member spaced a small distance away from the axis of the shaft.

Preferably the mounting member is mounted on the grip portion of the golf club shaft.

The swing alignment device may further comprise one or more of the preferred features thereof described above with respect to the first aspect of the invention.

The invention also extends to a method of practising a golf swing comprising the steps of:

mounting a swing alignment device according to the first aspect of the invention above to a golf club;

swinging the assembly golf club and device to perform at least part of a normal golf swing; and

checking visually whether the rod-like member is pointed at a desired line of the ball.

The golf club may be a long iron, a middle iron or a short iron. The golf club may also be a wood, e.g. a driver. The golf club may further be a putter.

The expression “substantially parallel” is herein intended to cover angles of up to approximately 5 degrees from the parallel.

BRIEF DETAILS OF THE DRAWINGS

A swing alignment device or a golf swing trainer in accordance with this invention may manifest itself in a variety of forms. It will be convenient to hereinafter provide a detailed description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a three dimensional view of a swing alignment device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a three dimensional view of the swing alignment device of FIG. 1 mounted on a golf club that is a golf iron;

FIG. 3 is a three dimensional view of a backswing of a golfer swinging an iron in a correct plane, with the alignment device of FIG. 1 mounted thereto;

FIG. 4 is a three dimensional view of the follow through of the swing of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a three dimensional view of a backswing of a golfer swinging an iron in a plane that is too flat, with the alignment device of FIG. 1 mounted thereto;

FIG. 6 is a three dimensional view of the follow through of the swing in FIG. 5 again showing that the swing is too flat;

FIG. 7 is a three dimensional view of a backswing of a golfer swinging an iron with a backswing in a plane that is too steep, with the alignment device of FIG. 1 mounted thereto;

FIG. 8 is a three dimensional view of the follow through of the swing in FIG. 7 again showing that the swing is too steep;

FIG. 9 is a three dimensional view of an initial take away from the set up position or stance, showing the golfer's wrists being cocked to open the club face;

FIG. 10 is a three dimensional view of an initial take away from the set up position, showing how the club cannot be taken away properly if the wrists are not cocked to open the club face;

FIG. 11 is a three dimensional view showing the golfer taking up a setup position or stance ready to perform a chip shot;

FIG. 12 shows the golfer performing the chip shot setup in FIG. 11, shortly after impact with the ball;

FIG. 13 shows the follow through after the golfer has performed the chip shot of FIGS. 11 and 12;

FIG. 14 is a three dimensional view of the swing alignment device mounted to a conventional putter gripped by a golfer, to mimic a belly putter showing the back swing of the putting stroke;

FIG. 15 is a three dimensional view showing the follow through of the putting stroke shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is an oblique view of a mounting member of a golf swing training device in accordance with a second embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a side view of the mounting member of the golf swing training device of FIG. 16; and

FIG. 18 is a plan view of the mounting member of the golf swing training device of FIG. 16.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of providing this detailed description is to instruct persons having an interest in the subject matter of the invention how to put the invention into practice. It is to be clearly understood however that the specific nature of this detailed description does not supersede the generality of the preceding statements disclosing the invention.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a swing alignment device that is a golf swing trainer for golfers in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. In the drawings reference numeral 1 refers generally to the swing alignment device.

The swing alignment device 1 comprises a rod-like member 2 and a mounting member 3 for mounting to the grip 4 of a club 6. The mounting member 3 includes a rod member support means in the form of a sleeve 7 for supporting the rod-like member 2. The sleeve 7 does this with the rod-like member 2 extending substantially parallel to the shaft 5 of the club 6. The sleeve 7 is sized to receive the rod-like member 2 therethrough with a small amount of clearance to permit the rod-like member 2 to slide down freely relative to the support member 3 when the device is lifted up.

The rod-like member 2 is slim and elongate in configuration, and approximates the length of a golf club shaft as shown in FIG. 2. The rod-like member 2 should be reasonably light weight and conveniently can have a hollow tubular configuration and be made of a metallic material, such as aluminium. The mounting member 3 also includes a grip engagement element 10 in the form of a sheet of material with a slightly curved shape. The inside surface of the engagement element 10 is concave to fit snugly over the rounded grip portion 4 of the golf club 6. The outside surface of the sheet has a complementary convex formation that mimics the shape of the outer surface of the handle or grip portion 4. A golfer's hands can thus pass over this outer surface as they grip the club 6. The element 10 of the embodiment has a length of about 200-300 mm and extends substantially along the length of the grip 4 of the golf club 6.

The mounting member 3 further includes two bridging formations 14, 15 extending between the sleeve 7 and the grip engagement element 10. These support the sleeve 7 in the appropriate spatial position relative to the element 10, thereby providing necessary space for the golfer's hands.

The mounting member 3 yet further includes further grip engagement formations towards each end of the element 10. One such further grip engagement formation comprises a socket 20 which receives an upper end of the grip portion 4 of the golf club 6 therein. The other formation comprises a recess or notch 21 within which the grip portion 4 is received towards its lower end. The socket and notch 20, 21 may be formed by extensions of the bridging formations 14 and 15.

The rod-like member 2 has stop formations 26 and 28 at each end thereof that are sized larger than the sleeve 7 and that stop the rod-like member 2 from falling off the sleeve 7. They limit movement of the rod-like member 2 relative to the mounting member 3 between a first fully extended position shown in FIG. 2 and a second fully extended position shown in FIG. 3, as described in more detail below. The stop formations 26, 28 may further include washers of soft material 34 to cushion the contact between the stop formations 26 and 28 and the sleeve 7 and reduce the attendant noise.

The swing alignment device 1 further includes a retaining means, here in the form of a clamp 22, for releasably locking the rod-like member 2 in a certain position relative to the mounting member 3 for use in the manner that will be described hereinafter below. In the illustrated embodiment this clamp is located on bridging formation 15 and comprises a cut (not shown) in the sleeve 7 which surrounds the rod-like member 2. It also comprises a groove or recess (not visible) in the rod-like member 2 and a pin or clip 23 which can be passed through the slit and the groove at the same time to lock the rod-like member 2 in position relative to the sleeve 7.

The mounting member 3 including the grip engagement element 10, the bridging formations 14, 15 and the sleeve 7 are suitably made of a metallic material. Conveniently this material may be mild steel or aluminium.

FIG. 2 shows the swing alignment device mounted on a golf club 6 that is a middle iron. The mounting member 3 is placed over the grip 4 of the golf club 6 and the rod-like member 2 is spaced away from the grip 4, but otherwise extends parallel to the grip 4 and associated golf club shaft 5. The mounting member 3 is disposed “underneath” the club, wherein the bridging formations 14, 15 extend in an opposite direction to that of the club head.

As is shown in the drawings the upper or free end of the grip portion 4 is received within the socket 20 on the first bridging formation 14. Further the grip portion 4 is located in the recess 21 on the second bridging formation 15 towards the lower end of the grip. The mounting member 3 is positioned, in this example on the middle iron, such that the rod-like member 2 is laterally spaced from the shaft 5 in a direction generally opposite to that in which the club head 8 extends from the shaft 5 of the club.

The rod-like member 2 is shown extending along the length of the club shaft 5 in a first fully extended position. It is important to appreciate that the rod-like member is free to move relative to the grip 4 and mounting member 3. This movement will happen when the swing alignment device 1 is lifted up with the club 6 elevated.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the swing alignment device 1 in use by a golfer for practising a part of their golf swing, in this instance a back swing portion and a follow through portion with the iron club 6, wherein the golfers arms rise no higher than broadly parallel with the ground on either portions of the swing. FIG. 3 shows the position of the club 6 and attached device 1 at or near the top of the back swing portion of the golfer's practice swing. In this raised position the rod-like member 2 has slid from the first fully extended position (shown in FIG. 2) to a second fully extended position, where the rod-like member 2 extends out beyond the first bridging formation 14 and the free or upper end of the grip portion 4. The rod-like member in the second fully extended position thus forms a notional extension of the support member 3 and the golf club shaft 5. Further, the golfer can check whether the rod-like member 2 is substantially parallel with the ground at the top of their back swing.

FIG. 3 shows the rod-like member 2 pointing towards a golf ball 30 on the ground and the line 32 along which the golf ball 30 is to travel. In the drawing, the rod-like member 2 points directly at this line 32 and this is a sign that the swing plane and club positioning is correct.

Similarly FIG. 4 shows the follow through portion of the golfer's practice swing. Even though the position of the club has moved forward of the body the rod-like member 2 has moved to a second fully extended position and still points at the line 32 of the ball as with FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a backswing where the golfer has positioned the club 6 in the incorrect swing plane. The swing plane is too flat, the club head is insufficiently elevated and the rod-like member 2 has, as a result, has failed to slide from the first fully extended position down through the sleeve 7. This failure together with the fact that the rod-like member 2 points above or outwardly of the ball shows the golfer that their swing is incorrect.

FIG. 6 shows the follow through portion of the same golf swing shown in FIG. 5. Again the rod-like member 2 has failed to slide down through the sleeve 7 like it is meant to do as shown in FIG. 4. The swing plane is too flat and is incorrect.

FIG. 7 shows another example of a backswing where the golfer is swinging the club incorrectly. In this case the rod-like member 2 has slid down relative to support member 3 like it is meant to do. However the golfer's swing plane is too upright and consequently the rod-like member 2 points down near to the feet of the golfer. It does not point at the ball 30 and the desired line of the ball 32 like it is meant to do.

FIG. 8, which shows the follow through from the swing of FIG. 7, similarly shows the rod-like member 2 extended to the second fully extended position, but pointing inwardly of the ball down near to feet of the golfer instead of the line of the ball.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show how the swing alignment device 1 can be used to train a golfer to break or cock their wrists at the take away of the back swing. In this use, the mounting member 3 is positioned on the grip 4 of the club 6 such that the rod-like member 2 is laterally spaced from the shaft 5 in generally the same direction as the head 8 extends. This positioning of the swing training device 1 on the topside of the grip means that cocking of the golfer's wrists is the only way they can get the club back and up to the top of the backswing when the device 1 is mounted on the club 6.

FIG. 9 shows the golfer cocking their wrists to open the face of club head 8 and this moves the upper end of the device, including the sleeve 7 and bridging formation 14 out of the way of the golfer's arms. This permits the golfer to take the club 6 up to the top of the backswing. Thus the practice swing illustrated in FIG. 9 shows a golfer how cocking or opening their wrists on the back swing permits the club to be taken back correctly.

By contrast in FIG. 10, the golfer has not cocked their wrists and the face of the club head 8 is still closed. If the wrists are not opened the top of the swing training device 1 bears up against the inside of the left arm of the user. Thus the golfer cannot take the club 6 back because the mounting member 3 gets in the way of the golfer's outside arm. This way the device or trainer trains a golfer to cock their wrists and open the club face at the take away.

FIGS. 11 to 13 show the swing alignment device of FIG. 1 being used as a trainer by a golfer to practise the chipping shot. For this exercise the rod-like member 2 is extended relative to the support member to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and is then locked in this position. This is done with the clamp 22 mentioned above, which here comprises a screw threaded shaft passing through the sleeve 3 that can be rotated to bring a clamping formation (not visible) into engagement with the rod-like member 2. This notionally adds to the length of the club 6, instead of substantially overlapping the length of the shaft 5 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

With the rod-like member 2 extended and passing across the front thigh and side of the golfer, the golfer is encouraged to adopt the correct stance for chipping a golf ball 30. That is the golfer's hands in the correct stance should adopt a forward position relative to the ball. The rod-like member assists the golfer to maintain their wrists substantially locked while performing the follow through, since the member 2 engages the golfer's side if the wrists are unlocked.

FIG. 11 shows the rod-like member 2 up against the outer thigh portion of the golfer's leg when addressing the ball with the club head 8. FIG. 12 shows the golfer at or shortly after impact with the ball 30, and FIG. 13 shows the follow through portion of the swing. During the follow through, the golfer should not break their wrists and keep their hands well forward of the body.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show the swing alignment device 1 in use mounted on a conventional putter 36 to mimic a belly putter. The mounting member 3 is mounted to the grip 4 of a putter in the same way as described above with reference to the iron club of FIG. 2, except that the mounting member is arranged on the top side of the club, i.e. extending outwardly in the direction of the club head.

The rod-like member 2 is then extended up from the mounting member 3 a certain distance until its upper end brushes against the belly of the golfer. It is then releasably clamped in this position using the clamp 22 described above with reference to FIG. 1. The putter 36 can then be used as a belly putter by the golfer while they practise their putting. FIG. 15 shows the follow through portion of the swing after the ball 30 has been struck by the putter 36.

It is widely acknowledged amongst golf coaches that a belly putter is the easiest style of putter with which to putt accurately. It is able to reproduce an accurate pendulum like swinging motion better than other types of putters which are more dependent on a disciplined movement of the hands together with the putter without any wrist movement.

Thus with this device a golfer can practise their putting with the assistance of the belly putter feature and groove their putting stroke. Then when they get onto the golf course to play a round, the golfer can reproduce the putting stroke produced by the belly putter with their normal putter.

A mounting member 40 of a swing alignment device in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 16, 17 and 18. The mounting member includes a sleeve 44 for telescopically supporting a rod-like member 42 therein (as shown partially in FIG. 16) and bridge formations 46, 48 at respective ends of the sleeve 44. The sleeve has an internal diameter of about 13 mm, whilst the rod-like member has an outside diameter of about 12 mm, to provide the desired free sliding engagement therebetween.

The bridge formations 46, 48 extend between the sleeve 44 and a grip engagement element 50, which element is curved to mimic the shape of the grip portion of a golf club. A first bridge formation 46 further includes a grip engagement formation in the form of a recess 52 shaped in a “U” to loosely receive a distal end of the grip portion. A second bridge formation 48 further includes a grip engagement formation in the form of a socket 54, within which a proximate or free end of the grip portion of the golf club shaft is received. The bridge and grip engagement formations are configured to locate the rod-like member 42 substantially parallel to the shaft of a golf club and spaced a distance of about 100 mm from the shaft.

A soft rubber washer 34 mounted on the rod-like member 42 can resiliently grip the member and be manually moveable therealong to a desired position. Thus it will be appreciated that the washer can resiliently hold the rod-like member in either of the first and second fully extended positions, as described above.

The mounting member 40 of the second embodiment is composed of plastics material, suitably fibre reinforced synthetic polymers such as 30% glass fibre filled nylon 6-6, by way of injection moulding. It has been found that the moulded component is more easily released or separated from the mould if the socket 54 includes cut-out sections 56, as illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18. Stiffener ribs 58 have been added to the inside face of each of the bridge formations 46, 48 to ameliorate distortion found to occur with the plastics construction of the mounting member, especially when the rod-member 42 moves between its first and second fully extended positions.

An advantage of a golf swing trainer of the embodiments, as described above with reference to the drawings, is that it can be used by any golfer to help them swing the golf club on the correct plane. If their swing plane is too upright the trainer will tell them this by having the rod-like member pointing inwardly of the ball nearer to the golfer's feet. Similarly if their swing plane is too flat the rod-like member will point at a spot on the ground outwardly of the desired line of the ball. Further the rod-like member might not even slide down out of the sleeve towards the ground.

In this way the golfer can use the trainer to check their swing plane while they are practising on their own. They don't need another person to look at their swing in order to analyse and report on their form. The applicant believes that this feature in particular offers considerable benefits to users of the trainer.

A further advantage of the trainer described above is that it is mechanically simple and can be produced at low cost. It is not reliant on complex computers, electronics or any electrical supply. On the contrary it is a simple mechanical device with few moving parts. Thus it will be able to be supplied to the market at reasonable cost and be affordable to all golfers.

A still further advantage of the trainer is that it can be used for a number of different exercises. It has utility in helping a golfer to perform a full swing on the correct swing plane. This covers a swing with a wood, a swing with a long iron and a swing with a short iron. While the golf swing is basically the same for all these clubs the applicant makes the point that a single trainer can be used on all of these clubs. It can be fitted to all these clubs and finds utility on all these clubs.

Yet further the trainer can be used to train a golfer to chip the ball correctly. It trains them to keep the hands forward of the body during the swing and particularly the follow through. In addition the trainer can be fitted to a regular putter to make it mimic a belly putter. Then the golfer can practice putting with a pure pendulum swing that is encouraged and fostered by the belly putter.

It will of course be realised that the above has been given only by way of illustrative example of the invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth and defined in the claims which follow. 

1. A swing alignment device for assisting a golfer to swing with the correct golf swing, the device comprising: a rod-like member; and a mounting member for mounting to a shaft of a golf club, the mounting member providing a support means which supports the rod-like member on the mounting member such that the rod-like member extends substantially parallel to the shaft and permits the rod-like member to slide relative to the support means.
 2. The swing alignment device of claim 1, wherein the mounting member is adapted for mounting to the grip portion on the shaft of the golf club and includes a grip engagement formation for placing against the grip portion of the shaft.
 3. The swing alignment device of claim 2, wherein the grip engagement formation enables a golfer to hold the mounting member, and thereby the swing alignment device on the grip portion, when the club is gripped in the normal way
 4. The swing alignment device of claim 1 wherein the support means for the rod-like member comprise at least one sleeve through which the rod-like member passes, whereby the rod-like member is supported with its longitudinal axis closely laterally spaced from the axis of the golf club shaft.
 5. The swing alignment device of claim 4 wherein the support means may the rod-like member is slidingly received within the sleeve with a minimal or only a small amount of clearance whereby the rod-like member is free to slide relative to the sleeve.
 6. The swing alignment device of claim 5 wherein the clearance for and mass of the rod-like member are arranged such that, in use, the rod-like member is permitted to slide when the club is correctly elevated on a back swing.
 7. The swing alignment device of claim 1 wherein the mounting member further includes at least one bridging formation extending between the rod-like member support means and the grip engagement formation.
 8. The swing alignment device of claim 7 wherein the mounting member includes two bridging formations extending between the support means for the rod-like member and the grip engagement formation, wherein a first bridging formation is located towards one end of the grip engaging element and a second bridging formation is located towards an opposed end of the grip engagement formation.
 9. The swing alignment device of claim 8 wherein the mounting member includes further grip engagement formations associated with respective cross bridging formations; one grip engagement formation comprises a notch or recess within which the shaft of the club can be located or loosely received and a second grip engagement formation comprising a cup shaped recess or socket within which an upper end of the shaft of a club can be received.
 10. The swing alignment device of claim 1 wherein the rod-like member further includes stop formations towards each end thereof for resisting the rod-like member from sliding off the mounting means when it slides to and fro relative to the mounting means, between first and second fully extended positions.
 11. The swing alignment device of claim 10 wherein the rod-like member has an impact absorbing element at one or both ends thereof for cushioning the contact of the stop formation with the sleeve when the rod-like member slides into either fully extended position relative to the mounting means.
 12. The swing alignment device of claim 1 wherein the rod-like member may have a length greater than one half of the length of the golf club, preferably comparable to that of the shaft of a golf club.
 13. The swing alignment device of claim 1 further including retaining means for releasably retaining the rod-like member in a desired longitudinal position relative to the mounting member and associated club.
 14. The swing alignment device of claim 13 wherein the retaining means comprises locking means that can be used to lock the rod-like member in one or more desired longitudinal positions relative to the club.
 15. The swing alignment device of claim 14 wherein the sleeve and the rod-like member are provided in the form of inner and outer telescoping elements that can slide relative to each other in one orientation and, when rotated relative to each other, can be releasably locked in said one or more desired positions.
 16. A golf swing training device for assisting a golfer to swing with the correct golf swing, the training device comprising: a rod-like member; and a mounting member comprising a support member and a sleeve for the rod-like member; said support member including a grip engagement element that complements part of the circumference of a grip portion of a golf club for mounting on the club; said sleeve mounted on the support member and spaced from the grip engagement element for supporting the rod-like member such that, when mounted on the club, the rod-like member extends substantially parallel to the shaft of the golf club, wherein the sleeve is sized to permit the rod-like member to slide freely relative to the support member; and said support member further including at least two spaced bridging formations extending between the sleeve and the grip engagement element for holding them in lateral spaced relation to each other.
 17. An assembly of a golf club and a swing alignment device for practicing golf swings, said assembly comprising: a swing alignment device for assisting a golfer with a golf swing and including a rod-like member, and a mounting member for mounting to a shaft of a golf club; and a golf club having a shaft comprising a grip portion and an exposed shaft portion; wherein the mounting member of the swing alignment device is mounted on the shaft of the golf club such that the rod-like member extends substantially parallel to the shaft, and permits the rod-like member to slide relative thereto with the axis of the rod-like member spaced a small distance away from the axis of the shaft.
 18. The assembly of club and device of claim 17 wherein the mounting member is mounted on the grip portion of the golf club shaft.
 19. A method of practicing a golf swing, said method comprising: mounting a swing alignment device to a golf club, the swing alignment device including a rod-like member and a mounting member for mounting to a shaft of the golf club, the mounting member providing a support which supports the rod-like member on the mounting member such that the rod-like member extends substantially parallel to the shaft and permits the rod-like member to slide relative to the support; swinging the assembly of golf club and device to perform at least part of a normal golf swing; and checking visually whether the rod-like member is pointed at a desired line of the ball. 